Yeah, but "juvenile delinquent" doesn't quite have the same ring to it. And, they're doing the same things as chavs, just different clothing.

And the word that normally applies to the delinquents around here is one that has strong enough racial connotations that repeating it here would not be wise. (N-word, with a w substituted for the n when the delinquent is white.)

Down south we have "trash." White trash, trailer trash, ghetto trash, and trashy clothes/behavior/etc. I learned the versatility of the word from my sweet old grandma. I don't know what other connotations chav has, but it sounds like there's a significant bit of overlap.

Contingency wrote:Down south we have "trash." White trash, trailer trash, ghetto trash, and trashy clothes/behavior/etc. I learned the versatility of the word from my sweet old grandma. I don't know what other connotations chav has, but it sounds like there's a significant bit of overlap.

Add US Southern trailer trash (of all varieties) to living in UK government-run housing (council estates) and you've got a right chav.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

"No I don't want the Ask toolbar! No I don't want Bing as my default search! No I don't want to make Chrome my default browser!""Good grief, man! WHAT are you trying to install on that poor computer?""Antivirus."